Since November 17, four minors and an 18-year-old girl — all hailing from Jharkhand — were rescued by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) from Delhi and Haryana. DCW officials said those rescued are between the ages of 10 and 18 years and were working across homes in Faridabad, Rohtak and Hisar in Haryana and in Janakpuri and Mandawali in Delhi. They were allegedly trafficked by a placement agency in east Delhi.

“While the 18-year-old has been sent home, the 10-year-old was produced before the Child Welfare Committee in Haryana and sent to a shelter home,” DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal, said.

On November 17, Delhi Police raided the premises of the placement agency and rescued two girls from Mandawali and Janakpuri. The boy was rescued two days later. “The DCW approached us with a complaint from the parents of a minor girl from Jharkhand. We formed a team and raided the agency’s office. The owner is now in judicial custody,” an officer said.

Police have filed an FIR against the owner under IPC Section 370 and Section 75 of the JJ Act.